- Yuta Okkotsu Guide - September 7, 2022
- Chrollo hxh Guide - June 23, 2022
- Does Naruto Die? - June 22, 2022
Chrollo Lucifer is one of the main antagonists of Hunter x Hunter. He is one of the series’ most recognizable characters, and his role in the story influences many of the arcs in Hunter x Hunter. Hunter x Hunter is one of the most iconic manga serializations to date. It has inspired an anime of great renown and has one of the most dedicated fan bases of all time.
Hunter x Hunter is written by Yoshihiro Togashi. You may regoznize Togashi from his other work Yu Yu Hakusho. Togashi has taken multiple breaks through Hunter x Hunter for multiple reasons. Despite this, admiration for the series has been consistent and only grown throughout the years.
Hunter x Hunter has brought to life many characters that have become idolized in the manga community. They are relatable and charismatic, and their designs are top-notch. The first time I watched Hunter x Hunter I was in awe at the sheer level of the detail in the story and lore.
Gon Freecss starts an adventure to find his father, where he meets countless allies that set off a series of domino effects that change the world around them. Chrollo Lucifer is a character that happens to have just as much influence on the story as Gon or Killua.
He is one of the series’s most powerful characters and the Phantom Troupe’s leader. Here we will examine Chrollo Lucifer as a character, his relationships, and where he stands in the Hunter x Hunter story. He is one of my favorites when it comes to Hunter x Hunter and has an ability unlike anything you’ve ever seen in any manga.
Bottom Line Up Front
Chrollo Lucifer is the original 0 member of the Phantom Troupe and its leader. Very little is known about his origins besides that he is from Meteor City, a city inhabited by outcasts. He formed the Phantom Troupe along with six other residents of Meteor City.
Since anyone that lives in Meteor City does not exist in official records, it is incredibly difficult to learn about its citizens. He is ranked seventh in sheer strength among all the Phantom Troupe members. This does not take into consideration his Nen abilities and skills.
Chrollo’s aura is a specialization which is why he is considered a Specialist. This means that his Nen has a unique effect. He has multiple Nen powers. These include Bandit’s Secret and Bookmark Theme. Due to his ability Bandit’s Secret, Chrollo can steal the Nen abilities of others with the help of a conjured book.
These abilities make Chrollo one of the most deadly and intelligent beings in Hunter x Hunter. Seeing as how he has multiple skills to choose from, he must also remember the rules that each ability needs to work correctly. He tends to find loopholes at times to get his desired effect from the abilities.
Who is Chrollo?
Chrollo Lucifer is an outcast born in the junkyard city of Meteor City. The citizens of Meteor City do not exist to the rest of the world. There is no record of their birth, and they have no official records of themselves. The city itself is only known to a very select group of people.
While in Meteor City, Chrollo started a group called the Phantom Troupe. He started the Phantom Troupe with six other inhabitants of Meteor City, including Feitan, Machi, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, Franklin, and Uvogin. He is known as the leader and Spider #0. The first time we see him in the manga is in Chapter 71.
He is a Specialist meaning that he has a specialization aura. These are some of the rarest, and anyone that doesn’t have a natural specialization aura will not be able to train towards it. Usually, your aura is an indication of what skills to train.
His Nen ability, Bandit’s Secret, allows him to steal nen abilities from other nen users. He holds great admiration and affection for his Phantom Troupe members.
Chrollo and the Legacy of the Phantom Troupe
The Phantom Troupe is a group Chrollo Lucifer founded while in Meteor City. It consists of ten members currently. During their introduction during their mission of Yorknew CIty, there was a total of 13 Members. But since then, there have been some deaths on the team.
Every member of the Phantom Troupe is referred to as a Spider and given a number. Usually, they tattoo that number somewhere on their body. To join the Phantom Troupe, new members need to kill one of their current members to take their place.
Otherwise, new members need to be chosen by Chrollo himself or be nominated by the other members. Even if selected, recruits must be determined by Chrollo in the end.
The Phantom Troupe operates as a sort of hitman mafia. They will steal, kill, and on occasion, perform philanthropic work. Once Chrollo has taken in their stolen treasures, he sells everything. One of their most heinous crimes is the Kurta Clan massacre, in which they stole the eyes of the members and sold them off.
Kurapika, one of the main protagonists of Hunter x Hunter, is a Kurta Clan survivor and has made it his life mission to take down every member of the Phanom Troupe. They also offer aid to Meteor City and have protected it occasionally, including from Zazan and a group of Chimera Ants.
To understand who they are, you must understand who the members are.
Phantom Troupe Members
- Chrollo Lucifer – Spider #0
- Leader of the Phantom Troupe/
- Ranked seventh in physical strength.
- Nobunaga Hazama – Spider #1
- Ranked ninth in physical strength.
- One of the founding members.
- Feitan Portor – Spider #2
- Ranked fifth in physical strength.
- One of the founding members.
- Machi Komacine – Spider #3
- Ranked sixth in strength.
- One of the founding members.
- Kalluto Zoldyck – Spider #4
- He is the youngest sibling of Killua.
- Replaced Hisoka.
- Phinks Magcub – Spider #5
- Ranked second in physical strength.
- Franklin Bordeau – Spider #7
- Ranked fourth in physical strength.
- One of the founding members.
- Shizuku Murasaki – Spider #8
- Ranked twelfth in physical strength.
- Bonolenov Ndongo – Spider #10
- Ranked eighth in physical strength.
- Illumi Zoldyck – Spider #11
- The eldest sibling of Killua.
- Replaced Uvogin
Former Phantom Troupe Members:
- Omakage – Former #4 – Anime Only
- Was the main antagonist of the Hunter x Hunter film: Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge
- Hisoka Morow – Former #4
- Left the Phantom Troupe and was the third strongest in physical strength.
- He was only in the Phantom Troupe to search for strong opponents and fight Chrollo.
- Shalnark – Former #6′
- Shalnark was ranked tenth in physical strength.
- Hisoka killed him.
- Pakunoda – Former #9
- Ranked eleventh in physical strength.
- One of the founding members of the group.
- Kurapika’s Judgement Chain killed her.
- Uvogin – Former #11
- Ranked first in physical strength.
- One of the founding members of the group.
- Killed by Kurapika’s Judgement Chain.
- Kortopi – Former #12
- The weakest member of the Phantom Troupe physically.
- Killed by Hisoka.
Chrollo: Appearance, Personality, Quotes, and More
Here we will dissect Chrollo Lucifer as a character. His appearance, personality traits, iconic quotes, and more shaped his character in the story of Hunter x Hunter.
Appearance
Chrollo Lucifer has the body shape of a young, tall man with black hair and grey eyes. He has a purple cross-shaped tattoo right above his eyes in the center of his forehead. He is always seen wearing a pair of blue orb-shaped earrings. Chrollo will usually be wearing his iconic dark purple coat with white fur.
The coat has an imprint of St. Peter’s Cross on its back. He uses this coat to hide the giant spider tattoo on his back that serves as his Phantom Troupe insignia. He is 26 years old and 177 cm tall. He weighs 150 lbs.
Personality
Chrollo Lucifer is a born leader. He is cool, intelligent, level-headed, and charismatic. He holds the Phantom Troupe together despite them being a group of incredibly strong-minded individuals that could level most cities in Hunter x Hunter.
But they choose to follow him for the type of person he is, not the type of power he exudes. That is the sort of leader that Chrollo is, which is why the Phantom Troupe is so devout to him and will sacrifice themselves to protect him at any time.
He is confident in his abilities and travels alongside his Phantom Troupe members. This way, they can protect each other in case of an attack. One of his defining factors is the way he perceives humans. He characterizes them as puppets and has no fear of his death. He has mentioned on multiple occasions that a Spider can still survive even without its head.
Despite Chrollo seeing humans as puppets, he holds his Troupe members in high regard and will do anything to protect them. When Hisoka killed Kortopi and Shalnark, Chrollo vowed to find and kill him. To most of the world, Chrollo Lucifer is cold.
He ordered the massacre of the Kurta Clan, which in turn created his greatest threat, Kurapika. Chrollo is a charismatic individual and has a sharp tongue. He can manipulate others with his words and convince them to trust him. This is a necessary skill that he needs to make the best of his Nen ability, Bandit’s Secret.
Quotes
Here are some of the most iconic quotes by Chrollo throughout the Hunter x Hunter series:
- To himself: “Humans… are so very… interesting.”
- To Neon: “I believe that we have a soul. So I want to fulfill my dead friend’s wish to wreak havoc.
- To Kurapika: “Is that the chain you used to kill Uvo? What did he say to you before he died?”
- To the Phantom Troupe: “We want to have a party, but there’s no cake. We need a special order to place in the center of the table. We’ll get back together and dine at that table when we get it. Bring me Hisoka’s head!!”
- To Kurapika: “You can’t kill me. You left your precious friends behind. This wasn’t even in my fortune. That means it wasn’t worth mentioning. This situation is insignificant.”
- To a passenger aboard the Black Whale: “Ties are to be severed, not forgotten.”
Important Battles
Throughout Hunter x Hunter there haven’t been too many moments where the leader of the Phantom Troupe has shown us his true powers, but when he does get in battles, it’s always against some of the most powerful people in Hunter x Hunter.
Chrollo Against Silva Zoldyck and Zeno Zoldyck
Chrollo fought against Killua‘s father and grandfather during the Yorknew City arc. During this battle, Chrollo wants to try and steal one of their abilities, but he realizes fighting two-on-one isn’t going well for him, so he abandons that tactic. Zeno realizes this and asks Silva to kill him once he pins him down, even if it means killing them both.
The fight ends when the clients of the Zoldyck are killed. But Zeno also noted that he could tell Chrollo wasn’t trying to kill him. Since with if the user whose ability stole dies, Chrollo isn’t able to use his ability anymore. It disappears from his book. You can read this fight starting with Chapter 98 in the manga.
Chrollo Against Hisoka Morow
Chrollo’s fight against Hisoka happened after the events of the anime. So if you are an anime-only viewer, I suggest you skip this for spoilers. Chrollo Lucifer and Hisoka Morow battle in the actual arena as a Floor Master battle of the Heaven’s Arena. Usually, these are professional spars, but Chrollo declares it a battle to the death.
This match shows how cunning Chrollo can truly be. Before starting the fight, he gathers his own set of skills solely to fight Hisoka. He knows that Hisoka is not only incredibly strong physically but that he is one of the greatest Nen users out there. During this fight, Chrollo also mentions it is the most abilities anyone had seen before he killed them.
You can start reading the fight in the manga in Chapter 351.
Enemies
Chrollo has many enemies that he has gained due to how he steals abilities. Still, the most notable is Kurapika, who has based his ability on defeating the entire Phantom Troupe, including Chrollo Lucifer. Kurapika has already killed two members, Uvogin and Pakunoda.
With his Judgement Chain, Kurapika can impose rules on members of the Phantom Troupe that, if violated, will spell certain death. He used this on Chrollo and imposed two conditions on him.
For one, under Judgement Chain, Chrollo can no longer use nen abilities nor communicate with other members of the Phantom Troupe. Kurapika used this ability on Pakunoda, but her rules were to release Gon and Killua and not reveal Kurapika’s conditions. She broke the second condition by using her memory bomb on six of the Phantom Troupe members.
Powers, Skills, and Abilities
Chrollo has one of the most interesting abilities in all of Hunter x Hunter. Here we will break down his own Nen abilities and those of the ones he has stolen that we are aware of.
Nen Abilities
Bandit’s Secret
Bandit’s Secret is Chrollo’s main Nen ability. It allows Chrollo to steal the Nen abilities of other Nen users and use them as his own through a conjured book. The victim of his abilities loses the use of their stolen ability. Since this is such a powerful ability, it also has very strict conditions to work properly. These include:
- Chrollo must see the Nen ability in use with his own eyes.
- Chrollo must ask the Nen user about Nen and have these questions answered by them.
- At some point, his victim’s palm needs to touch the cover of Bandit’s Secret.
- He must complete all these requirements within one hour.
When Chrollo uses a stolen ability, he must conjure Bandit’s Secret and maintain the page of the ability open while he uses it. His abilities are also subject to any limitations, requirements, or emotions imposed by the original user of the ability.
Bookmark Theme
Bookmark Theme is an ability that Chrollo developed to overcome any abilities he stole that required using both hands. With Bookmark Theme, he can place a bookmark in Bandit’s Secret and use the ability on that page while using both his hands.
Stolen Skills
Indoor Fish
Stolen From: Unknown
While using this ability, Chrollo can summon two fish made of bones that feed on human flesh. While eating someone, the person will not notice until the fish have disappeared. Once they are gone, all the wounds the victims suffered will materialize.
Fun Fun Cloth
Stolen From: Owl
The Fun Fun Cloth allows the user to increase and decrease the size of the cloth at will. Whatever is covered by the Fun Fun Cloth will also change in size. This helps capture others since it will not harm them while they are shrunk.
Teleportation
Stolen From: Unknown
Chrollo can teleport others. He can do this without moving and without needing to visually see the victim or the area where they are being transported.
The Sun and Moon
Stolen From: Meteor City Elder
Allows Chrollo to mark his victim with either a Sun or a Moon. When these two marks touch, it will create an explosion. Chrollo can do a small instant explosion, or if he touches his victim for over five seconds, it’ll create a huge explosion that can destroy cities.
Order Stamp
Stolen From: Unknown
Allows Chrollo to control puppets with a voice command. All he needs to do is stamp to begin the effect. He can not do this with corpses since the original users did not view humans as puppets.
Convert Hands
Stolen From: Unknown
With Convert Hands, Chrollo has a black arrow pointing up on his right hand and a white arrow pointing down on his left hand. When he touches someone with his right hand, it’ll turn them into a likeliness of him. When he touches them with his left hand, it will turn Chrollo into their likeliness. If he touches them with both, then they will trade likeliness.
Lost Abilities
Lovely Ghostwriter
Stolen From: Neon Nostrade
With Lovely Ghostwriter, Chrollo was able to predict the future events of others. Once the ability is activated, the user will write four to five quatrains that will detail the future of whoever the user is performing this ability on. The user can not use this ability on themselves.
Gallery Fake
Borrowed From: Kortopi
Gallery Fake was Kortopi’s original Nen ability. Chrollo borrows it when he fights Hisoka. With this ability, Chrollo can replicate an item he touches with his right hand by using his left hand. He is not able to duplicate living organisms. Anything living would simply be replicated as an inanimate object.
Black Voice
Borrowed From: Shalnark
Shalnark lent Black Voice to Chrollo prior to his fight with Hisoka. Black Voice lets Chrollo completely take over his victim by sticking them with an antenna. Once the antenna has been implemented, Chrollo can control them using a phone.
Weapons
- Ben’s Knife
- Antennae: I only used it while using the Black Voice Nen ability.
- Cell Phone: Used alongside the antennae.
Relationships
Chrollo has a few meaningful relationships that affect his story in large ways. Mainly the Phantom Troupe members but also enemies he has made along the way due to his power and standing, including Kurapika and Hisoka.
Phantom Troupe Members
Chrollo has an interesting relationship with his Phantom Troupe members. He sees most humans as puppets but has a soft spot for his Phantom Troupe members. But he also understands that they are a Spider, and even without some of their parts, they can still function.
He also has a strong sense of pride in their strength. This is why he allows others to join the Phantom Troupe and challenge members.
He understands that a tiny group of people can defeat them. Anytime he has lost a member of the spiders, he has gained an intense bloodlust toward the killer. It happened when Kurapika killed Uvogin and when Hisoka murdered Kortopi and Shalnark.
Kurapika
Kurapika deeply hates every member of the Phantom Troupe that was a part of the Kurta Clan Massacre. The Kurta Clan Massacre is when the Phantom Troupe murdered every member of the Kurta Clan for their Scarlet Eyes. They killed all 128 villages in gruesome ways that Kurapika still remembers vividly.
Because of this, Kurapika has vowed to kill every spider. He has already killed two of them in Uvogin and Pakunoda. Using his Judgement Chain against any Phantom Troupe members is almost a guaranteed win for Kurapika. But it is an ability that requires some very harsh conditions to fill.
Hisoka Morow
Hisoka Morow was already killed once by Chrollo. But thankfully, Hisoka had used his Nen to revive himself, which unlocked even more powerful Nen. Hisoka only wishes for a strong competitor. He wants to fight the strongest Nen users alive. This is why he keeps Gon Frecess alive since he sees his potential.
He was only a member of the Phantom Troupe because he wanted to get close to Chrollo. Once they fought and Chrollo “killed” him, Hisoka vowed to kill every spider. He has already killed two of them in Kortopi and Shalnark.
How Does Chrollo Fit Into Hunter x Hunter?
Chrollo Lucifer is the leader of the Phantom Troupe. The Phantom Troupe is one of the most powerful underground groups in the world of Hunter x Hunter. Usually, if there is some sort of mafia, political, or underground altercation, they are there.
They managed to be present in just about every Hunter x Hunter arc with less than ten members. Two of Killua’s siblings are in the Phantom Troupe, and Kurapika’s storyline revolves around them.
The Phantom Troupe will most likely be a large part of the story until the end of Hunter x Hunter. It will even continue after Chrollo Lucifer’s death since he has repeatedly stated that a spider can still function without its head.
Interesting Facts About Chrollo
Here are some interesting trivia facts about Chrollo Lucifer:
- Chrollo becomes the Floor Master at Heaven’s Arena, but it is never stated how he got there or when he began to compete. We only see him as Floor Master during his fight with Hisoka.
- Chrollo has shown to be able to use the most amount of abilities in Hunter x Hunter. Since we have only seen him fight twice, he may have many abilities still hidden.
- According to a Hunter x Hunter manual from Togashi, Chrollo’s Nen rating is only 4/5. This can mean that Chrollo still hasn’t found his full potential and has room for growth.
- He had to create his Bookmark ability because he stole an ability that required both hands to use.
- His surname is Lucifer which is usually associated with a fallen angel.
- You can see Suzaku from YuYu Hakusho in his Bandit’s Secret in one of the episodes of the anime.
FAQs
Question: Who is Yoshihiro Togashi?
Answer: Yoshihiro Togashi is the creator and author of the Hunter x Hunter manga.
Question: Why does Hisoka attack Chrollo?
Answer: Hisoka is always looking to fight a strong foe. That is his life’s goal, to fight the strongest around. It’s what gives him the will to live. In his eyes, Chrollo is one of the strongest Nen users in Hunter x Hunter. Without his abilities, Hisoka won’t even look at Chrollo. This is shown when Kurapika uses Judgement Chain on Chrollo. Chrollo cannot use Nen, and Hisoka leaves without fighting him since he says he is not worth dealing with in that state.
Question: Is Chrollo the strongest character in Hunter x Hunter?
Answer: No, despite being one of the strongest, there are still other characters rumored to be much more powerful. Isaac Netero and Adult Gon are two examples of characters that could trounce Chrollo.
Question: Will Chrollo ever fight Kurapika?
Answer: It is hinted at by the story that Kurapika and Chrollo will battle. Chrollo is probably preparing for this and searching for an ability that will help him since he was already exposed to Judgement Chain.
Question: How did Chrollo find his nen aura?
Answer: Most characters in Hunter x Hunter use Water Divination to discover their aptitude and abilities. Using this method will allow you to see which of the six different auras you contain and allow you to focus your training on it.
Here is how to tell by using Water Divination:
• Enhancer: If the volume of the water changes in any way.
• Transmuter: If the taste of the water changes in any way.
• Conjurer: If the purity of the water is affected in any way.
• Emitter: If the color of the water is affected in any way.
• Manipulator: If the leaf moves on the surface of the water.
• Specialization: If one of the above changes does not happen, it is an entirely new change.
Chrollo Hunter x Hunter Final Thoughts: Leader of the Phantom Troupe
Chrollo Lucifer is one of the most interesting characters in Hunter x Hunter. His way of thinking can be terrifying, but his actions have shifted the narrative of many of the main characters in Hunter x Hunter.
His ability Skill Hunter allows him to steal the abilities of other Nen users and leave them completely powerless. But if that Nen user was to die, then he would lose the ability. This means that Chrollo imposed those limitations on himself to create an even more powerful ability.
When he encounters an obstacle, he thinks about overcoming it tactically. He has shown himself to be one of the most intelligent characters in Hutner x Hunter and capable of running an organization as dangerous as the Phantom Troupe. It will be interesting to see where Chrollo Lucifer’s story leads him and how Kurapika will come into play since it seems their end destination is the same.